, 1887-06-15

which at the prices then prevailing mlgnt %
valued at $373 per hid, say S427,OoO
adding to which the value OF rum ana
molasses, estimated at SAG, 600, we would
get $473,OOO as the total revenue from
the crop. Now in that year it was said
that most of the estates had paid their
expenses, and even given q trihe over;
hence it was plain that the expenses could
not have been $500, 900, but something less,
say s450,0O0.
Last year the crop had reached l4,777
hhds., which at an average of $50 would give
$532, 900, to which $4,000 must be added
for rum and molasses, giving in all a revenue
of $3.50, 900. Therefore, there was no loss
last year, and the sugar industry could not
be described as ruinous. This year prices
were lower, but expenses would certainly NOT
be higher (say 1850, 000). Present prices gave
about $32 per hid, or, adding rum and mo-
lasses, say. S35 per hid. There should be a
crop of at least $4,000 hhds.; lndeed there
could be no question it would be higher, say
between $4,000 and $1,000 hhds. Hence
there would be again no loss this year, on the
whole, and the industry was not "rulnous.
He would next speak Of the reference con-
tanned in the resolution to the very exact
accounts of the State Treasury's estates.
He was a little surprised to see that refer
ence. as he considered those accounts to be OF
a private character and like all private &C
counts. not to be referred to without permls-
sion. He would reserve his right IN that re-
gard. At the same time he would state that
these accounts were kept with such complete
ness that it was possible to deduct such expen.
ses as had arisen from experiments made to
ascertain how the cultivation could be I'M
proved. and it was then found that the or
binary expenses were not greater than
could be covered by the production. he
would admit that the sugar cultivation gave
very little profit, that it did not pay well; but
this was we'll known to be the case at present
with all otherkinds of cultivation all the world
. over. On the other han1i it was we'll known that
several governments had taken steps to pro-
tect their sugar growers. It could not,
however, be expected that the Home
Government would do anything not in
accordance with sound economical prin-
ciples. 1t would not of course con-
sens to burden the Danish taxpayers in
order to support TIA sugar industry. No IN
dustry coulo long be supported by artificial
means, and the sugar industry, like every
other, must stand or fall on it's own merits.
The most efficient means which could be Ia
ken to support it were those which the plan
ters could take themselves, by improving
their cultivation. Those who were connected
WITH the factory had q great advantage ia
securing manure fer their fields, and the ex-
periments at the Kings estates, experiments
still going on, had shewn that the yield
could be improved.
1t was proposed in the resolution, to petit
ton His Majesty the King to endeavour to
secure a reciprocity treaty with the United
States similar to that with the Hawaiian
islands, under which sugar from St. Croix
should be admitted into the United States
free of duty in return for free admission Of
United States products here. the proposal
to be based OH the most favoured nation
clause in a previous treaty between the two
countries. He would first observe that the
most favoured nation clause was found in
treaties between the United States and many
other countries besides Denmark. The UnI-
ted States authorities would not admit the
Interpretation of the clause which was given
In this resolution, ana the. Courts there support
ed them. It must also be. observed that the
treaty quoted is between Denmark and the.
United States, not between ST. Croix and the
United States, and therefore the proposed
treaty must include Denmark, Again it
must be asked, if the import duties are given
up, what is to, compensate for the loss to
the Colonial Treasury?
He had already given the Council some
account Of this. matter of reciprocity treaties,
which would be found in the Proceedings for
1884, page, 1913. He could now state that the